American Airlines Jet Makes Emergency Landing After Engine Fire Incident Moments After Takeoff

American Airlines flight (#AA1665) from Las Vegas Airport to Charlotte. North Carolina has to divert back after an engine fire earlier today

An American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff from Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport on Wednesday morning, after passengers reported seeing flames coming from one of the plane's engines.

The aircraft, carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, was en route to Charlotte, North Carolina, when the incident occurred. Just minutes into the flight, flames and black smoke were seen trailing from the engine, prompting an immediate return to Las Vegas for an emergency landing.

The jet had just taken off from Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport when fire started coming out of one of the engines

Footage captured from the ground shows fire bursting from the side of the aircraft’s engine with a trail of dark smoke following. The sight caused alarm among onlookers and passengers.

One witness, construction worker Richard Pedrosa, described hearing a loud bang before noticing the aircraft in distress overhead. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s going to explode,’” he recalled. “I was kind of scared because that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that, and I was hoping and praying that everybody was OK on the airplane.”

Despite the frightening scene, no injuries were reported. The plane landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power. All passengers deplaned without incident.

Pilots onboard the plane, which was carrying 153 passengers and six crew, had to quickly divert course back to the airport after passengers spotted the flames

In a statement, American Airlines confirmed that Flight 1665 returned to Las Vegas due to a “mechanical issue.” The airline stated that its maintenance teams found no evidence of an actual engine fire upon inspection of the aircraft.

“We appreciate the professionalism of our crew and thank our team who are working to get our customers to their destinations as quickly as possible,” the airline added.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the engine malfunction and assess whether safety protocols were followed.